Petunia plant named ‘Sundarose’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Sundarose’, characterized by its semi-upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; double-type bright red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNDAROSE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sundarose’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Miyazaki-shi, Miyazaki, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new semi-upright and mounding Petunia plants with attractive double-type flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in June, 2006 in Miyazaki-shi, Miyazaki, Japan of two unnamed proprietary selections of Petunia×hybrida, not patented. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Miyazaki-shi, Miyazaki, Japan in March, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Miyazaki-shi, Miyazaki, Japan since April, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sundarose’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sundarose’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Semi-upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Double-type bright red purple-colored flowers.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more mounding than and not as         upright as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have shorter internodes than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia have more petals than         flowers of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia have shorter internodes than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia are double types whereas         flowers of plants of the male parent selection are single types.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia ‘AK101’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,951. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia and ‘AK101’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more upright and mounding than         and not as trailing as plants of ‘AK101’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had shorter leaves than plants of         ‘AK101’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia were larger and had         fewer petals than flowers of plants of ‘AK101’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sundarose’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sundarose’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the autumn in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Sundarose’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About eight days at             temperatures of 30° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at             temperatures of 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 15 days             at temperatures of 30° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 20 days             at temperatures of 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Semi-upright and mounding plant             habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches             developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19.4 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 40 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 24.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.1 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Upright to somewhat outwardly.         -   Texture.—Densely pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 143B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 144A; venation, close to 144C. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B; venation,             close to 145A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.2 mm. Diameter: About 2.3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Double-type flowers arising             from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually             about 13 flowers developing per plant; flowers face upright             to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about three to             four weeks after planting; long flowering period; flowering             commences naturally during the spring and plants flower             continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in             Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.6 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 4.1 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Tube diameter, base.—About 4 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Obconical; apex, twisting. Length: About             2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm. Color: Close to 75B.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: About 17 petals fused at the base.             Petal length from throat: About 1.3 cm. Petal width: About             1.6 cm. Petal shape: Spatulate. Petal apex: Mucronate. Petal             margin: Entire; weakly undulate. Petal texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to N74A;             venation, close to N74A; color does not fade with             development. Petal, when opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 75C; venation, close to 143A. Throat:             Close to 149D. Tube: Close to 150C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About             1.6 cm. Sepal width: About 3.9 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly             elliptic. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal             texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color:             Developing sepals, upper surface: Close to 143A. Developing             sepals, lower surface: Close to 143B. Fully developed             sepals, upper surface: Close to 146A. Fully developed             sepals, lower surface: Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About             six. Stamen length: About 9 mm to 15.3 mm. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.7 mm by 2.4 mm. Anther             color: Close to 8D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             Close to 8D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 8 mm. Style color: Close to 144D. Stigma             shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to             144B. Ovary color: Close to 144B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and             fruit development have not been observed on plants of the             new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Sundarose’ as illustrated and described. 